Menzies Aviation handling staff at Barcelona-El Prat Airport will not strike as planned. The FeSMC-UGT union and the company reached an agreement, averting immediate travel disruptions across seven Spanish airports.
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Agreement Averts Menzies Strike
The agreement, brokered by the Interconfederal Service for Mediation and Arbitration (SIMA), addresses key worker grievances. Menzies Aviation committed to correcting economic disparities for subrogated employees. This includes specific salary supplements known as ‘ad personam’ complements, covering both fixed and variable components.
The pact also guarantees annual working hours, a significant point of contention in recent months. The lack of consistent working conditions after staff subrogation processes had caused growing discontent among employees. “It is necessary to stop mistreating the staff,” the FeSMC-UGT union stated, expressing cautious satisfaction. They warned they would monitor the agreement’s implementation to ensure it is “real, agile, and effective.”
Key Concessions for Workers
Additionally, the agreement includes a review of excess working hours and improved shift planning. These measures aim to resolve constant operational imbalances and staff overloads. Such issues have affected both daily operations and work-life balance for employees across various airports. Menzies Aviation also agreed to open employment negotiation talks from April, a long-standing demand from FeSMC-UGT.
This resolution comes as Barcelona-El Prat Airport, one of Europe’s busiest hubs, prepares for the busy Easter travel period. The airport serves millions of residents and tourists annually, making smooth operations crucial. The averted strike provides a temporary reprieve for travellers and airport management.
Ongoing Groundforce Disruptions
However, the broader labour conflict in the Spanish handling sector continues. Groundforce, a handling division of the Globalia group, began an indefinite strike this week. This affects 12 Spanish airports, including Barcelona-El Prat.
Unions UGT, CCOO, and USO called these stoppages. They occur on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The strike hours are 05:00 to 07:00, 11:00 to 17:00, and 22:00 to 00:00. These ongoing actions highlight persistent labour issues within the sector.
Broader Sectoral Conflict
While the Menzies agreement provides a temporary reprieve, the ongoing Groundforce strike highlights persistent labour issues. The overall labour landscape for handling services in Spain remains volatile. This ongoing industrial action continues to pose potential challenges for air travel across the country.
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Originally published by Metrópoli Abierta – Urban Life. Read original article.
